Roche announces new technique offering drug possibilities

Roche has announced the development of a novel nanomechanical technique used for the detection of genes relevant to disease and treatments. It reports that this method offers the potential for the closer matching of pharmaceutical treatments to patient needs.

The December issue of the Nature Nanotechnology journal reports that scientists from Roche together with those from the National Centre of Competence in Research have developed this new technique at the recently established Swiss Nanoscience Institute in Basel.

Active genes are detected directly by the method through a measurement of their messenger ribonucleic acid – a representation of a step and link to protein synthesis.

Ulrich Certa, head of functional genomics at the Roche centre for medical genomics, said: “Our research results show that these new nanomechanical sensors can be used for the direct and continuous monitoring of patients’ response to a given treatment.”

He added that the technology moved the company closer to the matching of treatments precisely with patient need and a consequent reduction in side effects.

In the Nature Biotechnology journal in May, scientists from Roche presented a novel method for the analysis of the metabolism of the commonly administered anticoagulant warafin. The example was used to show the potential of the genetic analysis to improve the understanding of how drugs are metabolised in the body.